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September 1st, 2013
03:26 AM ET
Do Christians, Muslims and Jews worship the same God?Opinion by Jeffrey Weiss, Special to CNN (CNN) - Pope Francis surprised Israeli and Palestinian leaders last month when he invited them to a special prayer ceremony at the Vatican this Sunday - not least because religion has often been the source, not the salve, of the region's conflicts. Still, Pope Francis offered his "home" - the Vatican - as the perfect place to plea for some divine assistance, and Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas dutifully agreed to attend. "The Pope has placed it in this perspective: Prayer is like a force for peace,” Vatican Secretary of State Archbishop Pietro Parolin told Vatican Radio. "We hope that there, where human efforts have so far failed, the Lord offers to all the wisdom and fortitude to carry out a real peace plan." But Sunday's special ceremony at the Vatican raises an interesting question: When Francis, Peres and Abbas bow their heads in prayer, will they be talking to the same God? After all, Jews, Christians and Muslims all trace their faiths back to a fellow named Abraham, whom they all claim was chosen for special treatment by the Almighty. Not academic The “same God” question is one theologians have hammered at for as long as there have been enough religions for the query to make sense. The question is hardly academic, though. In fact, a number of politicians, religious leaders and scholars have expressed hope in recent years that a convincing answer on the God question might dampen the violence committed in His name. Yale Divinity School theologian Miroslav Volf recently edited a book titled “Do We Worship the Same God? Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Dialogue.” In the introduction, Volf explained why the title question matters:
On the other hand, there’s CNN Belief Blog contributor and Boston University religion professor Stephen Prothero. His book on this subject is titled “God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run The World.” Prothero writes:
In the world of politics, President George W. Bush asserted the unity side of the argument more than once in the years after the 9/11 attacks - often as a way to deflect accusations that America was at war with Islam. Bush told Al Arabiya television, “I believe there is a universal God. I believe the God that the Muslim prays to is the same God that I pray to. After all, we all came from Abraham. I believe in that universality.” Pope Francis invites Israeli, Palestinian leaders to Vatican peace talks Pope John Paul II drew from the same rhetorical well several times. “We believe in the same God, the one God, the living God, the God who created the world and brings his creatures to their perfection,” he first said in a speech to Muslims in Morocco in 1985. Looking for a more recent example? Consider the plight of Vatican envoy to Malaysia. Shortly after he arrived there last year, Archbishop Joseph Marino said that is was fine by him that Christian translations of the Bible into Malay use the word “Allah” for “God.” “Allah” is, of course, the Arabic word for God and is found in the Quran. The Christian translators explained that since most Malaysians are Muslim, it’s the word they’re most comfortable with and therefore the best choice for the translation. But many Muslim authorities in Malaysia were furious. They say Christians are slipping in the familiar word as a way to convert Muslims. And conversion of Muslims is all but illegal in Malaysia. There’s a lawsuit ongoing about the translations. Marino had to apologize for pushing into Malaysian politics. Points of disagreement So what do the “Abrahamic” religions disagree about? Among other things: the purpose of humanity, the relationship of God and humanity, sin, forgiveness, salvation, the afterlife, Jesus, Muhammad, the calendar, and the religious importance of Abraham himself. Plus the nature of God. Any summary will leave out enormous nuance. Internal divisions within religions have fueled some of the worst examples of human violence. Consider the long and frequently bloody history of troubles between Catholics and Protestants or the growing death toll of Muslim-on-Muslim attacks. But there are common elements about God widely accepted in each tradition. Judaism Start with Judaism, since it came first and established roots that carried into the other two. Jewish tradition teaches that there is one and only one God, creator of everything, and He established physical and moral laws. As Judaism’s preeminent prayer says: “The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” This God walks and talks directly with His creations – for a while. Eventually, He chooses one particular nomad (Abraham) to father a mighty nation that God sets up as an example to other nations. This God likes the smell of burning meat and demands other extremely specific physical offerings as evidence of obedience and repentance. And He gives His chosen people a particular set of laws – but doesn’t mind discussion and even argument about those laws. A famous rabbinic saying implies that every word in Judaism’s sacred texts can be understood in 70 correct (but related) ways. And human reasoning can even trump divine intention. (No kidding. It’s in the Talmud) This God judges His people every year. Tradition says he’s willing to accept imperfection, as long as it comes with repentance. He’s big on obedience, not so much on faith. He’s not nearly as attentive to the behaviors of non-Jews. (There’s a famous Jewish joke with the punch line “Would you mind choosing somebody else once in a while?”) Tradition holds that there’s a World To Come after death where moral accounts will somehow be settled. But this God is vague on details. Christianity The most obvious differences in the Christian God are the traditional teachings about the Trinity and Jesus. God is three separate persons who are also one. How? Christianity says the Trinity is a “mystery” of faith. According to Christian tradition, God begets a son who is somehow also Him but not Him to atone for Original Sin. He sacrifices that son though a brutal death and thus achieves humanity's salvation. But the son, who also is God, rises from the dead. And that sacrifice redeems eternally all who accept and believe in it. Faith, not behavior, is the essential measure of salvation. This God is willing to vastly expand what it means to be among His “chosen people.” He’s also willing to cancel many of the laws that had applied to that chosen group for this expanded membership. Orthodox Jews say that God prohibits them from eating a cheeseburger; Christians say God has no problem with them wolfing down Big Macs. Unlike the Jewish God, whose instructions are almost all about this world, the Christian God is focused more on eternal salvation: heaven and hell. Finally, for this God, much of the Jewish scriptures (which are all God’s word) are actually about foreshadowing Jesus. Including Abraham. Islam The Muslim God is a bit more like the Jewish God. There is no Trinity in Muslim tradition. Jesus was a prophet, but no more divine than other prophets. God has never has had anything like physical attributes and has no gender. (Some Muslim commentators say that the noun “Allah” is masculine, but only in the way that all nouns in some languages include gender.) Muslim tradition holds that God wants one thing from humans: Submission. The word “Islam” is defined as “submission to the will of God.” For Muslims, all true prophets in Jewish and Christian traditions were actually Muslim because they knew to submit correctly to God. Differences between Muslim, Jewish and Christian interpretations of God are due to errors that crept into the other two faiths, Islam teaches. The Muslim God, like the other two, initially demanded that Abraham sacrifice a son. But the Muslim God wanted Abraham’s son Ishmael, not Isaac, who Jewish tradition holds was offered as a the sacrifice. The Muslim God also designated, from before the world began, a perfect man to be his final prophet: Muhammad. God’s perfect truths are found only in the Quran and in the sayings of Muhammad, the hadiths. And the Muslim God, like the Christian God but unlike the Jewish God, will welcome believers to paradise and condemn many non-Muslims - exactly which ones is a matter of much discussion - to eternal torment. Final answer So do Christians Muslims, and Jews, really all worship the same God? In two major volumes on the subject recently published by scholars from various faiths and traditions, including Volf’s, the most inclusive response from these scholars is basically: Yes, and it’s our God. This is not a new way of answering the question. In 1076, Pope Gregory VII wrote this to a Muslim leader: “We believe in and confess one God, admittedly, in a different way…” But like many other religious leaders on all sides of the argument, Gregory insisted that his version of the Almighty is the one whom the others are unknowingly and incompletely worshiping. A less exclusivist set of religions might shrug off the differences. But all three claim to have the only “True Faith.” So do all three faiths actually worship the same deity, whether they call him God or Allah or Adonai? God only knows. Jeffrey Weiss is an award-winning religion reporter in Dallas.The views expressed in this column belong to Weiss. A version of this story first ran in September 2013. CNN's Daniel Burke contributed to this article. soundoff (7,438 Responses)1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 Next »
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I think Santa Claus dresses up as the Easter bunny to take a break from overseeing toy making.
Allah will punish their mockery and will let them continue in their transgression, wandering blindly. Holy Koran 2:16
Allah has set a seal on their hearts and their ears, and over their eyes is a covering; and for them is a great punishment. Holy Koran 2:8
How can you disbelieve in Allah? When you were without life, He gave you life, and then He will cause you to die, then restore you to life, and then to Him shall you be made to return. Holy Koran 2:29
Evil is that for which they have sold their souls: that they should disbelieve in what Allah has revealed, grudging that Allah should send down His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases. So they incurred wrath upon wrath; and there is an humiliating chastisement for the disbelievers. Holy Koran 2:91
I refuse to be coerced by fear into believing something that does not exist.
It is not mockery when I say that there is no god, and that belief in a god leads us astray into the realm of hatred, division and ignorance. It is a cry for freedom.
I invite you to welcome logic, reason, science, compassion, ethics, and philosophy to guide you. You're free to come. I make no claims of salvation or threats. I invite you openly and with peace.
There is no such thing as "salvation".
That is a concept invented by man!
Some words from Ravi Zacharias on freedom:
"Only Christianity is strong enough to preserve our freedom and our dignity. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ gives us the enormous privilege of sacred freedom without imposing faith on anyone. Those who mock this faith will find themselves before long under the oppression of an ideological domination that uses religion to gain political and cultural dominance and will not tolerate the mocking of their beliefs without cruel responses.
History is replete with examples that politics never has had and never will have the answers to ensuring the perpetuity of a nation and the freedom and dignity of our souls. From the feudal warlords of ancient Mesopotamia to the divine status of kings in Babylon and Persia, from the democratic and republican ideas of Greece to the empire building of Rome, from the theocracies of Islam and the state church of Europe to flirtation with the idea of freedom without responsibility in postmodern America and the materialism of Communism–what has remained? A world in turmoil."
" Those who mock this faith will find themselves before long under the oppression of an ideological domination that uses religion to gain political and cultural dominance and will not tolerate the mocking of their beliefs without cruel responses."
Crusades. Inquisitions. With Hunts. McCarthyism.
At least seven states–Arkansas, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas–have in place const.itutional provisions that bar atheists from holding public office. One state (Arkansas) even has a law that bars an atheist from testifying as a witness at a trial.
In Bavaria, Catholic bishops have the right to veto the nomination of a professor of theology, philosophy, pedagogy and sociology/political science at state universities if the candidate does not entertain the standpoint of the Catholic Church.
The Church of England (C of E) is granted privileged access to the British Parliament. The 26 most senior C of E Bishops are automatically granted membership in the House of Lords – the upper chamber of Parliament – where they have the right to speak and vote on all legislation. They are unaccountable to the public.
hroughout the history of "Chistendom", pagans, atheists, heathens and other assorted heretics have endured such torture at the hands of the Church innumberable times.
For 1500 years, Christians outlawed atheists from the universities, or any teaching careers, besmirched their reputations, banned or burned their books or their writings of any kind, drove them into exile, humiliated them, seized their properties, arrested them for blasphemy. They dehumanized them with beatings and exquisite torture, gouged out their eyes, slit their tongues, stretched, crushed, or broke their limbs, tore off their breasts if they were women, crushed their scrotums if they were men, iimprisoned them, disemboweled them, hung them, burnt them alive...
“It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creeds into law if it acquires the political power to do so, and will follow it by suppressing opposition, subverting all education to seize early the minds of the young, and by killing, locking up, or driving underground all heretics.”
– Robert Heinlein
I will readily admit that much wrong has been done in the name of Christianity but that was truly not authentic Christianity that was being practiced. Christianity has done much more good than bad in the past 2000 years so although you can point out some of the horrendous wrongs committed by churches and governments, it doesn't eclipse the good. Even today we can point out charlatans and false preachers and many are. They were there from the beginning so it is no surprise that corruption came about but true Christianity always manages to turnaround and the good shines through. I am not justifying the wrongdoing but just trying to put it in a fuller context or view. 1500 years of violence does not sum up Christianity.
Muslim people need salvation and not a man-made religion!!
Christianity is also a man made religion, so are all of them. Christianity was cobbled together from many previous myths and legends.
there is a website that exposes Islam
answering – islam dot org
google it. you will know the truth.
Now is the time to save The United States of America, before it is too late.
saveusa (dot) us
Actually you stupid idiot, Allah will punish you for killing his creation. You kill and murder what allah created. Allah did not tell you to kill. You mohamed told you kill. – See the truth
there is a website that exposes Islam
answering – islam dot org
google it. you will know the truth.
I refuse to believe in any God who has a pedophile as a prophet. Google that. http://www.answering-islam.org/Authors/Wood/pedophile.htm
ONLY PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THE QURAN IS FULL OF JEWS YOU WORSHIP AWWWW......
There is nothing holy about the koran. It is just another book written by man. nothing more.
Man has worshiped thousands of gods and goddesses. Yes, like all the rest, this http://www.GODisIMAGINARY.com
That link proves absolutely nothing. Those reasons only makes sense if you don't understand the Bible and God. Having read through a number of them, they are false. Just because someone says something, doesn't make it true.
Oh the irony.
Just because someone says something, doesn’t make it true.
------
This is your first baby step. Now start asking questions and thinking critically.
I think my brain just exploded by the magnitude of irony in that statement
No, but when you take the evidence and compare it to the claims. And they don't support the claims, you can be reasonably certain that the claims are false
Pot! Meet Kettle!
So was that Santa that came into my room when I was a little boy, wearing a crotchless bunny suit? I always suspected it was Grandpa!
All religions became corrupt through misinterpretation scripture and lack of priesthood authority. The restoration began in 1820.
Do Christians, Muslims and Jews worship the same God?
_____
Yes, they just don't know it..
Wrong! The Qur'an describes Satan of the Bible. The anti-Christ described in Revelation is the Islamic Mahdi (Messiah).
It is not confusing at all. It is Satanic propaganda. Do not trust any Christian pastor that thinks Islam's god is the Christian God.
or do not trust any Islamic propaganda which think they are a religion of peace.
In the Old Testament:
" 6 If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, 7 gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), 8 do not yield to them or listen to them. Show them no pity. Do not spare them or shield them. 9 You must certainly put them to death. Your hand must be the first in putting them to death, and then the hands of all the people. 10 Stone them to death, because they tried to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery".
[Deuteronomy:13:6-10]
HOW IS THAT FOR A DISTORTED RELIGION OF BRUTALITY.
Keep in mind though why God told them to do that, to keep Israel free from other religions and following God. It is brutal but it is based on reason and ultimately for the good of God's people
This is a reply to Will not Azriel,
Did you just justify brutally murdering your own family members who strangers for believing in another diety???!!!
That's a very dangerous thought Will sir.
We do not stone people to death because they chose to believe in an another God okay God boy LoL.
There can be no compulsion in religion/belief I mean it defeats the whole purpose of the very meaning of the word belief!
Ay Karamba.
It's one thing to kill those who want to corrupt your belief by claiming to follow your belief & then turn around & innovate within your religion (like the Shia cousins of Jews have been doing) but it's quite another to murder someone because he/she believes in something else.
Unreal the this reminds me of that freak Rabbi Ytzak Gingsberg who wrote in the Jewish week newspaper (based in NY) in his weekly column:
" If a Jew needs a liver, can you take the liver of a non Jew passing by, to save him? The Torah would probably permit it (he says)...etc
He basically says that it is a moral act for a Jew to kill you & take your organ LoL.
Imagine that ey!
That's what you sound like Will LoL
As to the last part of what you said, I'm not Jewish so, I have no ideal. But back to original question, I understand that it is a brutal law, but it is not aimed a killing people solely because they believe differently, if I remember correctly, God told the Israelites to kick non believers out of their camp. The issue is that they were trying to spread their beliefs with other people. I understand that sounds harsh but you have to remember that God said this to a fragile people group that He wanted to protect. I understand that is probably not the best answer
This is again a message to Will & not to Azriel,
Former actor Charleton Heston once said Bill Clinton:
" Mr President, when what you say is wrong that is a mistake. When you know what you say is wrong that is a lie" LoL.
You & I both know that you're a Jew. Znst Jew. Or else you wouldn't be on here excusing a brutal law that is an original revelation in the Torah.
& only a Jew would try defend another Jew. Don't B.S a B.S.er will you.
What you're saying is that it is okay for today's Znsts in the stolen land of Palestine to ethnically cleanse the Palestinians because the Jewish Apatheird racist murderous state of IsraHell is in a fragile state.
Question: Christ peace be upon him was a Christian according to Christians & a Muslim according to Muslims.
What do we do?
Slug it out till last man standing to make it either a Muslim state, a Christian state or a Znst state?!
You & I both know you (znst Jews) won't stand a chance & would the first to go. Or else you wouldn've successfully pitted the two main dangerous groups (Muslims & Christians) to your vile Stnic existence, against one another.
I'm not Jewish, I'm a Christian. I promise you. I'm just trying to explain to you why
But to your question, I'm not sure what your asking, explain it to me and I will gladly respond
This is yet again another message to Will not to Azriel.
I meant to say that the brutal fake ideology in [Deuteronomy:13:6-10] is NOT the original revelation. It has clearly been distorted.
In other words, what you're saying is that the revelation God sent to the Biblical writers was good, but they corrupted it?
There is no god.
The bible is a book of mythological tales.
I don't argue about the validity of myths, but more to the point the interesting tales they spin.
That's what I'm saying. God sent the revelation in the original form of the Torah & the Gospel in their original forms to Moses & Christ peace be upon both of them then people corrupted them. Then sent the Quran to Mohamed peace be upon him & this final testament remained undistorted.
example of distortion is in [Ezekiel:4:12] where God tells the Israelites to bake cake with human feces LoL
Gd told them to use the poop as fuel to burn to cook the food, what does that have anything to do with this
Allah will punish their mockery and will let them continue in their transgression, wandering blindly. 2:16
Allah has set a seal on their hearts and their ears, and over their eyes is a covering; and for them is a great punishment. 2:8
How can you disbelieve in Allah? When you were without life, He gave you life, and then He will cause you to die, then restore you to life, and then to Him shall you be made to return. 2:29
Surely, the Believers, and the Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians — whichever party from among these trulybelieves in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds — shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall comeupon them, nor shall they grieve. 2:63
Do you expect that they will believe you when a party of them hear the word of Allah, then pervert it after they have understood it, and they know the consequences thereof ? 2:76
Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they disclose? 2:78
Woe, therefore, to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: ‘This is from Allah,’ that they may take for it a paltry price. Woe, then, to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn. 2:80
And they say: ‘The Fire shall not touch us except for a small number of days.’ Say: ‘Have you taken a promise from Allah? Then, Allah will never break His promise. Or, do you say of Allah what you know not?’ 2:81
And remember the time when We took a covenant from the children of Israel: ‘You shall worship nothing but Allah and show kindness to parents and to kindred and orphans and the poor, and speak to men kindly and observe Prayer, and pay the Zakat;’ then you turned away in aversion, except a few of you. 2:84
Yet you are the people who slay your own brethren and turn out a section of your people from their homes, backing up one another against them with sin and transgression. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, while their veryexpulsion was unlawful for you. Do you, then, believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part? There is, therefore, no reward for such among you as do this, except disgrace in the present life; and on the Day of Judgment they shall be driven to a most severe chastisement; and surely, Allah is not unmindful of what you do. 2:86
Evil is that for which they have sold their souls: that they should disbelieve in what Allah has revealed, grudging that Allah should send down His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases. So they incurred wrath upon wrath; and there is an humiliating chastisement for the disbelievers. 2:91
And thou shalt surely find them of all people, the most covetous of life, even more than those who set up equals with God. Every one of them wishes that he may be granted a life of a thousand years, but his being granted such life shall not keep him away from the punishment; and Allah sees all that they do. 2:97
‘Whoever is an enemy to Allah, and His angels, and His Messengers, and Gabriel, and Michael, then surely, Allah is an enemy to such disbelievers.’ 2:99
And now when there has come to them a Messenger from Allah, fulfilling that which is with them, a party of the people to whom the Book was given have thrown the Book of Allah behind their backs, as if they knew it not. 2:102
They who disbelieve from among the People of the Book, or from among those who associate gods with Allah, desire not that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord; but Allah chooses for His mercy whomsoever He pleases; andAllah is of exceeding bounty. 2:106
And those who have no knowledge say, ‘Why does not Allah speak to us, or a Sign come to us?’ Likewise said those before them similar to their saying. Their hearts are alike. We have certainly made the Signs plain for a people who firmly believe. 2:119
But they who will disbelieve and treat Our Signs as lies, these shall be the inmates of the Fire; therein shall they abide. 2:40
Your faith and the god you speak of threatens violence in retribution for lack of faith or belief.
That is the inherit evil of faith, and belief in god.
I am an atheist. There are many like me. I'm not the only one and we refuse your belief.
We are good without god.
Man has worshiped thousands of gods and goddesses. Yes, like all the rest, your http://www.GODisIMAGINARY.com
Allah will punish their mockery and will let them continue in their transgression, wandering blindly. 2:16
Allah has set a seal on their hearts and their ears, and over their eyes is a covering; and for them is a great punishment. 2:8
How can you disbelieve in Allah? When you were without life, He gave you life, and then He will cause you to die, then restore you to life, and then to Him shall you be made to return. 2:29
Surely, the Believers, and the Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians — whichever party from among these trulybelieves in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds — shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall comeupon them, nor shall they grieve. 2:63
Do you expect that they will believe you when a party of them hear the word of Allah, then pervert it after they have understood it, and they know the consequences thereof ? 2:76
Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they disclose? 2:78
Woe, therefore, to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: ‘This is from Allah,’ that they may take for it a paltry price. Woe, then, to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn. 2:80
And they say: ‘The Fire shall not touch us except for a small number of days.’ Say: ‘Have you taken a promise from Allah? Then, Allah will never break His promise. Or, do you say of Allah what you know not?’ 2:81
And remember the time when We took a covenant from the children of Israel: ‘You shall worship nothing but Allah and show kindness to parents and to kindred and orphans and the poor, and speak to men kindly and observe Prayer, and pay the Zakat;’ then you turned away in aversion, except a few of you. 2:84
Yet you are the people who slay your own brethren and turn out a section of your people from their homes, backing up one another against them with sin and transgression. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, while their veryexpulsion was unlawful for you. Do you, then, believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part? There is, therefore, no reward for such among you as do this, except disgrace in the present life; and on the Day of Judgment they shall be driven to a most severe chastisement; and surely, Allah is not unmindful of what you do. 2:86
Evil is that for which they have sold their souls: that they should disbelieve in what Allah has revealed, grudging that Allah should send down His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases. So they incurred wrath upon wrath; and there is an humiliating chastisement for the disbelievers. 2:91
And thou shalt surely find them of all people, the most covetous of life, even more than those who set up equals with God. Every one of them wishes that he may be granted a life of a thousand years, but his being granted such life shall not keep him away from the punishment; and Allah sees all that they do. 2:97
‘Whoever is an enemy to Allah, and His angels, and His Messengers, and Gabriel, and Michael, then surely, Allah is an enemy to such disbelievers.’ 2:99
And now when there has come to them a Messenger from Allah, fulfilling that which is with them, a party of the people to whom the Book was given have thrown the Book of Allah behind their backs, as if they knew it not. 2:102
They who disbelieve from among the People of the Book, or from among those who associate gods with Allah, desire not that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord; but Allah chooses for His mercy whomsoever He pleases; andAllah is of exceeding bounty. 2:106
And those who have no knowledge say, ‘Why does not Allah speak to us, or a Sign come to us?’ Likewise said those before them similar to their saying. Their hearts are alike. We have certainly made the Signs plain for a people who firmly believe. 2:119
But they who will disbelieve and treat Our Signs as lies, these shall be the inmates of the Fire; therein shall they abide. 2:40
AGAIN WORSHIPING JEWS IN THAT BOOK ALSO//
Since there is no god, the question is moot and quite pointless!
These three religions do not worship the same god, particularly islam. Islam's god Allah can be traced back to ancient polytheism of a moon god with the same name, the muhammad's tribe worshipped. Muhammad merely rewrote much of the bible to fit his racial and quite frankly black magic beliefs.
Judaism originally worshipped the true God, but modern judaism, such as kaballah and such are actually ancient teaching of the babylonian magical system. Even the jewish name "Yahweh" is borrowed from the caananite false deity.
Christianity believes in the One True God that guarded over the ancient jews and their ancestors the hebrew an their ancestors the Israelites and their ancestors the Arbrahamic people and their ancestors the Semites, and their ancestors the Table of Nations geneology and through his true prophets foretold Jesus' coming thousands to hundreds of years in advance with Jesus fulfilling over 300+ prophecies and confirming himself to be the One True God in the flesh to offer the final contract with all of humanity. The trinity argument is ridiculous and perpetrated mostly by occultists. God is Jesus, Jesus is God, the Holy Spirit is also God. It is not three different people God himself came in the flesh upon Earth and humanity chose to kill their own God for unjust reasons. However God defeats even death because God is not a God of death, but of Life.
The Jews never gave a name to god!! This name you gave is a mistake, that is not in the bible and NOT A SINGLE JEW WILL TELL YOU GOD NAME. The name in the bible is a short for god name and you and most of people like you do not know it, like ASAP is short for As Soon As Possible., All religions are ignorant to this fact unless they are one of the wise Jewish people.
Are you sure the Jews never gave God a name?!
Then tell me genius, where do you suppose the name Israel originates from?!
Israel is the other name Prophet Jacob peace be upon him was known by. That's right !
& what does the word Israel mean in Hebrew/Aramaic?!
Isra= servant.
el = Allah.
Israel= servant of Allah.
The equivalent of of which in Arabic is= Abdullah . That's right
Israel translates to Abdullah & you know it. Or may be not. May be you actually don't know that.
So there the name of the God of the Jews is Allah according to the Hebrew/Aramaic word 'Israel'.
Know the truth & the truth shall set you free LoL
Man has worshiped thousands of gods and goddesses.
Yes, like all the rest, your http://www.GODisIMAGINARY.com
you should look up on youtube:
(calculation of speed of light in the Quran 1434 years ago)
Speed of Light MIRACLE (Very Shocking...)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If66IORL4mw
A coincidence is not a miracle. Especially one single coincidence versus the many thousands of discoveries science has made independent of religion.
A rainbow appeared today as I typed.
My typing creates rainbows, then?
Allah will punish their mockery and will let them continue in their transgression, wandering blindly. 2:16
Allah has set a seal on their hearts and their ears, and over their eyes is a covering; and for them is a great punishment. 2:8
How can you disbelieve in Allah? When you were without life, He gave you life, and then He will cause you to die, then restore you to life, and then to Him shall you be made to return. 2:29
Surely, the Believers, and the Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians — whichever party from among these trulybelieves in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds — shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall comeupon them, nor shall they grieve. 2:63
Do you expect that they will believe you when a party of them hear the word of Allah, then pervert it after they have understood it, and they know the consequences thereof ? 2:76
Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they disclose? 2:78
Woe, therefore, to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: ‘This is from Allah,’ that they may take for it a paltry price. Woe, then, to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn. 2:80
And they say: ‘The Fire shall not touch us except for a small number of days.’ Say: ‘Have you taken a promise from Allah? Then, Allah will never break His promise. Or, do you say of Allah what you know not?’ 2:81
And remember the time when We took a covenant from the children of Israel: ‘You shall worship nothing but Allah and show kindness to parents and to kindred and orphans and the poor, and speak to men kindly and observe Prayer, and pay the Zakat;’ then you turned away in aversion, except a few of you. 2:84
Yet you are the people who slay your own brethren and turn out a section of your people from their homes, backing up one another against them with sin and transgression. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, while their veryexpulsion was unlawful for you. Do you, then, believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part? There is, therefore, no reward for such among you as do this, except disgrace in the present life; and on the Day of Judgment they shall be driven to a most severe chastisement; and surely, Allah is not unmindful of what you do. 2:86
Evil is that for which they have sold their souls: that they should disbelieve in what Allah has revealed, grudging that Allah should send down His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases. So they incurred wrath upon wrath; and there is an humiliating chastisement for the disbelievers. 2:91
And thou shalt surely find them of all people, the most covetous of life, even more than those who set up equals with God. Every one of them wishes that he may be granted a life of a thousand years, but his being granted such life shall not keep him away from the punishment; and Allah sees all that they do. 2:97
‘Whoever is an enemy to Allah, and His angels, and His Messengers, and Gabriel, and Michael, then surely, Allah is an enemy to such disbelievers.’ 2:99
And now when there has come to them a Messenger from Allah, fulfilling that which is with them, a party of the people to whom the Book was given have thrown the Book of Allah behind their backs, as if they knew it not. 2:102
They who disbelieve from among the People of the Book, or from among those who associate gods with Allah, desire not that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord; but Allah chooses for His mercy whomsoever He pleases; andAllah is of exceeding bounty. 2:106
And those who have no knowledge say, ‘Why does not Allah speak to us, or a Sign come to us?’ Likewise said those before them similar to their saying. Their hearts are alike. We have certainly made the Signs plain for a people who firmly believe. 2:119
But they who will disbelieve and treat Our Signs as lies, these shall be the inmates of the Fire; therein shall they abide. 2:40
Islam is the one and only true Religion. It believes in one God. Christianity does not. Which is BLASPHEMY!!!!
Jesus the only truth..period
YOU ARE RIGHT!!!!!!!! Islam IS a RELIGION.. it is a man-made religion. it is a form of reformation for the outside of man, but leaves the inside all crocked and sinful. you see, religion is the devils idea. Transformation comes from God trough Jesus the Messiah. God deals with the core of the individual. (the heart) the sinner. religion tries in vain to deal with the product (the sin) but not with the (factory) the sinner. all religions are man trying to reach to God, Salvation is God reaching man. Jesus said: I am the way, the truth, the life, NO ONE comes to the Father (God) except trough me. (JN.14:6)
strange how the religious can see the absurdity of another's religion but can never see the absurdity of their own religion.
Whenever you comprehend reason you don't believe in any of the other thousands of gods, then you will finally comprehend why I do not believe in YOURS!
You see, I simply believe in ONE less god than you do!
"I contend we are both atheists, I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."
- Stephen F Roberts
same as:
"I contend we both believe 9/11 didn’t happen. I just believe in one fewer cause than you. When you understand why you dismiss all the 9/11 conspiracy theories, you will understand why I dismiss Arabs flying planes into the buildings"
Believing in zero Gods is categorically different from believing in a God.
RH and ONLY,
Do either of you have verified evidence that any of these things actually happen after death?
Don't be deceived there is only one true God, sovereign, king and saviour the Lord God Yahweh. He will return soon to reclaim what is his so repent you unbelievers. If you don't repent your destiny will be all too assured, you will stand self condemned and remain under sin. Yeshua has dominion over all of the other so called "Gods". All other Gods are really demons in disguise and deceptions.
Allah will punish their mockery and will let them continue in their transgression, wandering blindly. 2:16
Allah has set a seal on their hearts and their ears, and over their eyes is a covering; and for them is a great punishment. 2:8
How can you disbelieve in Allah? When you were without life, He gave you life, and then He will cause you to die, then restore you to life, and then to Him shall you be made to return. 2:29
Surely, the Believers, and the Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians — whichever party from among these trulybelieves in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds — shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall comeupon them, nor shall they grieve. 2:63
Do you expect that they will believe you when a party of them hear the word of Allah, then pervert it after they have understood it, and they know the consequences thereof ? 2:76
Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they disclose? 2:78
Woe, therefore, to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: ‘This is from Allah,’ that they may take for it a paltry price. Woe, then, to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn. 2:80
And they say: ‘The Fire shall not touch us except for a small number of days.’ Say: ‘Have you taken a promise from Allah? Then, Allah will never break His promise. Or, do you say of Allah what you know not?’ 2:81
And remember the time when We took a covenant from the children of Israel: ‘You shall worship nothing but Allah and show kindness to parents and to kindred and orphans and the poor, and speak to men kindly and observe Prayer, and pay the Zakat;’ then you turned away in aversion, except a few of you. 2:84
Yet you are the people who slay your own brethren and turn out a section of your people from their homes, backing up one another against them with sin and transgression. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, while their veryexpulsion was unlawful for you. Do you, then, believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part? There is, therefore, no reward for such among you as do this, except disgrace in the present life; and on the Day of Judgment they shall be driven to a most severe chastisement; and surely, Allah is not unmindful of what you do. 2:86
Evil is that for which they have sold their souls: that they should disbelieve in what Allah has revealed, grudging that Allah should send down His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases. So they incurred wrath upon wrath; and there is an humiliating chastisement for the disbelievers. 2:91
And thou shalt surely find them of all people, the most covetous of life, even more than those who set up equals with God. Every one of them wishes that he may be granted a life of a thousand years, but his being granted such life shall not keep him away from the punishment; and Allah sees all that they do. 2:97
‘Whoever is an enemy to Allah, and His angels, and His Messengers, and Gabriel, and Michael, then surely, Allah is an enemy to such disbelievers.’ 2:99
And now when there has come to them a Messenger from Allah, fulfilling that which is with them, a party of the people to whom the Book was given have thrown the Book of Allah behind their backs, as if they knew it not. 2:102
They who disbelieve from among the People of the Book, or from among those who associate gods with Allah, desire not that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord; but Allah chooses for His mercy whomsoever He pleases; andAllah is of exceeding bounty. 2:106
And those who have no knowledge say, ‘Why does not Allah speak to us, or a Sign come to us?’ Likewise said those before them similar to their saying. Their hearts are alike. We have certainly made the Signs plain for a people who firmly believe. 2:119
But they who will disbelieve and treat Our Signs as lies, these shall be the inmates of the Fire; therein shall they abide. 2:40
Believe whatever you want, RH, just don't cause trouble and stay out of jail.
I'm hear to speak the truth and not to cause trouble. And trust me I've stayed out of jail, am staying out of jail, and will stay out of jail. Speak for yourself. 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX3U-BGDedc&list=FLrmNp73GeSB4gJB-Jpl-RFg&index=21
Asinine.
Sure they do, They worship a manmade mythical God endowed with projected human attributes in a stunningly, laughably arrogant fantasy of a man-centered universe.
Sad Paul, very very sad. I feel sorry for you that one day you will be face to face with the God that loves you even though you mock him and he will give you what you asked for. That is complete separation from him for all eternity.
That is your opinion and it is not based on any evidence outside of your bible. How sad that you would love a god who would send those who see no evidence for him to be tortured!
God give options, choice to believe or not to believe. This choice is yours to chose the path is your choice. God only gives the destination. God has given his word as a map, the great gps, he only asks you to follow that narrow path.
Blah blah blah blah blah...same old christian rhetoric without an ounce of evidence for the existence of your god. Your god's only options are believe in me or else...not much of an option...more like an abusive spouse or abusive parent....nothing worthy of worship!
The wayI understand the Bible creation is enough of a witness to render mankind incapable of standing before him with any excuse. romans 1
So tell me, how is you have acquired so much knowledge as to be able to say confidently that there is no God? Where in the Universe have you been man? Com'on now, share your experience and your knowledge.
Fool...there is no evidence outside of the holy books to support a god. Tell us how did you gain so much knowledge to say there is a god?
Sorry, it is only a fool that would say there is no God. The evidence abounds all around us that there is God. Human nature is so full of ego, selfish and self-centred pride to notice he or she is a nonenity in this great universe full of wonders!
I'm sorry it is only a fool who says there is a god without providing evidence. You say there is evidence but yet you fail to provide any. You would think if there was evidence, no-one would be questioning it and everyone would know about it. Not to mention the fact that there wouldn't be so many gods available for worship (godchecker.com).
Yes !! god loves you so much and is ever so forgiving through his love for you!!
Unless you were born in the wrong part of the world and read the wrong book. Or pray facing in the wrong cardinal direction.
He also, just flippin, loves it if you eat shrimp or pork. There's also the issue of shatnez, god is no fan of it.
You know what gods favorite color is? Tekhelet ! Especially if it is woven in amongst those little dangling tzitzit !
And above all god needs 10% from you! You know for upgrades and to keep the fires of hell from petering out.
Dumb a_ _es !
Wow, some god and some love.
Even human parents wont punish children they love for eternity for disobedience.
Your god is a disgusting guy. I hope he doesn't love me, I'd be disgusted to be loved by such a nasty character.
So you think there is no god!! how do explain reincarnation? there are thousands of cases every year, how do you explain it? and if you do not know it mean some think is left after we die!! how will you deal with it?
Very amusing accusations Paul – coming from one who no doubt embraces the belief (all created by men) that either life began in a muddy hot soup or fell from the sky attached to a rock from somewhere in space or blew out of a sub-sea vent, etc., or that a fly, an oak tree, an elephant, or a whale all developed from a single cell....all of which is __why__ attempts to explain each founding argument is STILL called "A THEORY" !!!!!
T. Lee, you don't seem to understand how science works or what a scientific theory is. "Belief" has nothing to do with it. A theory is simply the best possible assemblage of the facts and evidence for which no facts or evidence can be demonstrated to disagree.
Science only works so well because it continually attempts to destroy its own ideas with competing evidence or ideas that take into account all the evidence in hand. The "theory" is that set of ideas for which no evidence has been found to falsify that set of ideas.
There are no measurements that can be made to verify the god hypothesis or falsify the god hypothesis, which means that the hypothesis is untestable, so you might as well say that an invisible and undetectable sky wizard chanted magic spells to create the universe.......oh, wait.....that's precisely what you are saying. lol
The hypothesis that the Universe and everything within it came into existence all by itself from nothing is equally untestable... Don't you agree?
No one is saying that !! just explain what happen after you die? or you can say when you die that is the end nothing left, and there is no soul! so how would you explain reincarnation? it happen, and there are thousands of evidence all over the world! how would you deal with it, if we put on ourselves the hat of truth, right?
Since, as you say, the existence of God is scientifically unverifiable, don't you realize then that the scientific method is severely limited? Why make a 'god' out of the scientific method – as if that is the only means by which we are able to know and understand the world in which we live? Your experience of the Universe seems rather limited, not to mention your knowledge and understanding of it. Seek and you will find. Many have sought and have found.
As a matter of fact, all these theories assume that some time, somewhere a living being somehow came into existence... and that somehow this very first, one and only living creature was able to transform the sterile dead matter around it into the organs and chemicals necessary for this creature to exist as well as to build other living creatures capable of doing the same.
Thinker23, there will always be questions that science hasn't answered. But science does not accept an answer without evidence for the comfort of having an answer, like creationism does. Evolution has been confirmed as true by just about every imaginable science–genetics, geology, and anthropology just to mention some. So we do not yet know where the very first strands of DNA/RNA came from–so what? What happened before the Big Bang or what caused it? Don't yet know, but do have the age of the universe pegged by independent methods of measurement to something over 13 billion years. To me, that sure beats believing completely without evidence that some deity made man out of dust some 6000 years ago.
...whereas your religion believes that some time, somewhere a living being somehow came into existence... and that somehow this very first, one and only living creature was able to transform the sterile dead matter around it into the organs and chemicals necessary for this creature to exist as well as to build other living creatures capable of doing the same. I'm sorry, what is the difference???
John, you're a man of great faith!!!
Allah will punish their mockery and will let them continue in their transgression, wandering blindly. 2:16
Allah has set a seal on their hearts and their ears, and over their eyes is a covering; and for them is a great punishment. 2:8
How can you disbelieve in Allah? When you were without life, He gave you life, and then He will cause you to die, then restore you to life, and then to Him shall you be made to return. 2:29
Surely, the Believers, and the Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians — whichever party from among these trulybelieves in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds — shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall comeupon them, nor shall they grieve. 2:63
Do you expect that they will believe you when a party of them hear the word of Allah, then pervert it after they have understood it, and they know the consequences thereof ? 2:76
Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they disclose? 2:78
Woe, therefore, to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: ‘This is from Allah,’ that they may take for it a paltry price. Woe, then, to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn. 2:80
And they say: ‘The Fire shall not touch us except for a small number of days.’ Say: ‘Have you taken a promise from Allah? Then, Allah will never break His promise. Or, do you say of Allah what you know not?’ 2:81
And remember the time when We took a covenant from the children of Israel: ‘You shall worship nothing but Allah and show kindness to parents and to kindred and orphans and the poor, and speak to men kindly and observe Prayer, and pay the Zakat;’ then you turned away in aversion, except a few of you. 2:84
Yet you are the people who slay your own brethren and turn out a section of your people from their homes, backing up one another against them with sin and transgression. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, while their veryexpulsion was unlawful for you. Do you, then, believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part? There is, therefore, no reward for such among you as do this, except disgrace in the present life; and on the Day of Judgment they shall be driven to a most severe chastisement; and surely, Allah is not unmindful of what you do. 2:86
Evil is that for which they have sold their souls: that they should disbelieve in what Allah has revealed, grudging that Allah should send down His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases. So they incurred wrath upon wrath; and there is an humiliating chastisement for the disbelievers. 2:91
And thou shalt surely find them of all people, the most covetous of life, even more than those who set up equals with God. Every one of them wishes that he may be granted a life of a thousand years, but his being granted such life shall not keep him away from the punishment; and Allah sees all that they do. 2:97
‘Whoever is an enemy to Allah, and His angels, and His Messengers, and Gabriel, and Michael, then surely, Allah is an enemy to such disbelievers.’ 2:99
And now when there has come to them a Messenger from Allah, fulfilling that which is with them, a party of the people to whom the Book was given have thrown the Book of Allah behind their backs, as if they knew it not. 2:102
They who disbelieve from among the People of the Book, or from among those who associate gods with Allah, desire not that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord; but Allah chooses for His mercy whomsoever He pleases; andAllah is of exceeding bounty. 2:106
And those who have no knowledge say, ‘Why does not Allah speak to us, or a Sign come to us?’ Likewise said those before them similar to their saying. Their hearts are alike. We have certainly made the Signs plain for a people who firmly believe. 2:119
But they who will disbelieve and treat Our Signs as lies, these shall be the inmates of the Fire; therein shall they abide. 2:40
RH, do you understand the texts you keep posting or are you simply parroting what you have read? Where is the brain that God made you with? Where is the sense of reason that He gave to you? If you are joining these discussions at least show that you are able and willing to use these God-given faculties of yours. You are NOT a mindless robot!
Of course CNN would put something as stupid as this on so people like those above ^ can use this as an excuse to spread their atheism and ignite arguments. I wish people would just not care who believes in what. These comments are the exact opposite of a bible thumper, known as a strident atheist. Its just as rude and annoying as bullying someone for being NON-religious. I wish people would stick with something more like "Yes, Christians and Jews are related" not "God is the imaginary communist in the sky" or "If you are not a believer you will burn in hell with your kids". Keep your thoughts to yourselves please. Notice below "CNN welcomes a lively and 'courteous' discussion". The statements above are not courteous...religious or not...they are invoking. Stay on topic.
oops on the first part I meant below.
I agree and disagree with you. On the one hand I agree that over the top comments intended to incite argument is not very helpful, but on the other hand, this is our society. This is what people think. They not only have a right to express it, but I'm glad they do. Not because I think they are wise, or have something necessarily good to say, but because we ought be aware of what the people around us think. How else are we ever going to work through it to find common ground and learn to live together in some form of harmony?
As to the article and the over all discussion. Yes, they all worship the same god. The difference is in what they think that god said and wants. It's been my experience that most people create their own theology loosely based on one of these religions and then label it that religion. At the end of the day, even if you had divine revelation from a god, you still have to filter it through your own imperfect understanding and what comes out the other side can not possibly be correct.
I agree with you but what I meant was I want people to NOT go "God is a fake and a murderer" on a topic related to "Do Christians, Muslims and Jews worship the same God?" Its just plain off topic. Now on a subject related to "Is God real or not" I say LET IT ALL FLY! I just wish people would keep their unrelated thoughts to themselves. Thats all. 😀 Thanks for replying.
God does not kill people. People kill people. God gave us free will and some kill and some don't.
Yet you are the people who slay your own brethren and turn out a section of your people from their homes, backing up one another against them with sin and transgression. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, while their veryexpulsion was unlawful for you. Do you, then, believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part? There is, therefore, no reward for such among you as do this, except disgrace in the present life; and on the Day of Judgment they shall be driven to a most severe chastisement; and surely, Allah is not unmindful of what you do. Holy Koran 2:86
Yeah. It's the atheists that are always stirring up trouble. Okay.
Hey CNN, stay out of the religious debate.... you lost your soul a long time ago!
Huge corporations have souls. Who knew?
Dan W.....What was your leap of faith and what was the truth shown to you??? Just curious.
His desire for "special status". It's at the root of all disagreement.
Here is another thing all religions have in common; they are all filled with lies.
This is the Best article I have ever read on CNN! Bravo!
CHRISTIANS don't even worship the same God/Jesus concept. Some have a loving God, some have a vengeful God. So until the 200+ branches of Christians can get their act together and worship the same God in the same way, never mind acknowledge that their religion stems from the oral traditions of the Muslim/Jewish religions, the odds of all of the Middle Eastern-born religion uniting is a long shot.
At the core of it...the search for a higher being that created the world, the universe and the Galaxies and beyond is what religions try and answer. Forget the traditions developed by men to suit their needs. That said, the best way for GOD to let everyone know who he is easier today than it was 2000 years ago! Let's hope he opens a youtube chanel or twitter...
>"the 200+ branches of Christians"
No. There are over 30,000 xtian sects around the world, and the number just keeps on growing because every time someone gets upset over some social or biblical point, they start their own church.
And the Jews say, ‘The Christians stand on nothing;’ and the Christians say, ‘The Jews stand on nothing;’ while they both read the same Book. Even thus said those who had no knowledge, like what they say. But Allah shall judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they disagree. Holy Koran 2:114
Allah will punish their mockery and will let them continue in their transgression, wandering blindly. 2:16
Allah has set a seal on their hearts and their ears, and over their eyes is a covering; and for them is a great punishment. 2:8
How can you disbelieve in Allah? When you were without life, He gave you life, and then He will cause you to die, then restore you to life, and then to Him shall you be made to return. 2:29
Surely, the Believers, and the Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians — whichever party from among these trulybelieves in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds — shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall comeupon them, nor shall they grieve. 2:63
Do you expect that they will believe you when a party of them hear the word of Allah, then pervert it after they have understood it, and they know the consequences thereof ? 2:76
Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they disclose? 2:78
Woe, therefore, to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: ‘This is from Allah,’ that they may take for it a paltry price. Woe, then, to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn. 2:80
And they say: ‘The Fire shall not touch us except for a small number of days.’ Say: ‘Have you taken a promise from Allah? Then, Allah will never break His promise. Or, do you say of Allah what you know not?’ 2:81
And remember the time when We took a covenant from the children of Israel: ‘You shall worship nothing but Allah and show kindness to parents and to kindred and orphans and the poor, and speak to men kindly and observe Prayer, and pay the Zakat;’ then you turned away in aversion, except a few of you. 2:84
Yet you are the people who slay your own brethren and turn out a section of your people from their homes, backing up one another against them with sin and transgression. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, while their veryexpulsion was unlawful for you. Do you, then, believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part? There is, therefore, no reward for such among you as do this, except disgrace in the present life; and on the Day of Judgment they shall be driven to a most severe chastisement; and surely, Allah is not unmindful of what you do. 2:86
Evil is that for which they have sold their souls: that they should disbelieve in what Allah has revealed, grudging that Allah should send down His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases. So they incurred wrath upon wrath; and there is an humiliating chastisement for the disbelievers. 2:91
And thou shalt surely find them of all people, the most covetous of life, even more than those who set up equals with God. Every one of them wishes that he may be granted a life of a thousand years, but his being granted such life shall not keep him away from the punishment; and Allah sees all that they do. 2:97
‘Whoever is an enemy to Allah, and His angels, and His Messengers, and Gabriel, and Michael, then surely, Allah is an enemy to such disbelievers.’ 2:99
And now when there has come to them a Messenger from Allah, fulfilling that which is with them, a party of the people to whom the Book was given have thrown the Book of Allah behind their backs, as if they knew it not. 2:102
They who disbelieve from among the People of the Book, or from among those who associate gods with Allah, desire not that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord; but Allah chooses for His mercy whomsoever He pleases; andAllah is of exceeding bounty. 2:106
And those who have no knowledge say, ‘Why does not Allah speak to us, or a Sign come to us?’ Likewise said those before them similar to their saying. Their hearts are alike. We have certainly made the Signs plain for a people who firmly believe. 2:119
But they who will disbelieve and treat Our Signs as lies, these shall be the inmates of the Fire; therein shall they abide. 2:40
I eagerly await proof that Allah can do any of that. Personally, I don't think he has the balls.
RH,
You believe that your book is true because the guy who wrote it said so?... with flowery language and dire threats?
Hint: That's what *all* shamans say, from Moses to Paul of Tarsus to Joseph Smith to L. Ron Hubbard and many others. They do not agree with each other. There is not a whit of verified evidence that any of them are real. Believe it if it makes you feel good, I suppose (if you can stay out of trouble and cause harm), but do not claim truth, Truth or TRUTH about it.
edit:
* stay out of trouble and cause harm
= stay out of trouble and do not cause harm
Yes, they do worship the same God.
>"Yes, they do worship the same god."
Bozo
The nut case idea that there is ONE GOD that directs us through words, and likes the smell of burning meat, is the root cause of all the problems. It was cravenly rude of the originators of this concept to invent it, and claim that GOD spoke directly to them. This (presumably) elevates them to special status in the world of human beings, and sets the stage for abject hatred, as this-or-that group of peoples throughout history want THEIR day in the sun.
So, look at the root cause. There is no way in h3ll anyone is talking to God and getting inside info on the state of Universal Affairs. You would think the originators of this lie would eventually recognize their culpability, and feel the responsibility to do something about it, say take education seriously and set up programs that will slowly extricate everyone's claws from everyone else's throats. It is heartbreaking to watch the Eastern Mediterranean World foam at the mouth for this crude lie that was launched several thousand years ago. It seems stepping on faces was the original point of it all.
If you stidied the ancients, you would understand the concept of religion came from fear evolving into belief; something to believe in. Without religion, man would not be civilized.
"Without religion, man would not be civilized." Oh really? How is that a logical train of thought. Religion CAUSES uncivilized behavior, in case you have not noticed it. The whole point of "Do as I say" involves punishment. Try thinking for a change.
this punishment you describe is a proven psychological instrument upon the human psyche. it deters unwanted behavior.
if you want to argue about the merits of theism or atheism you should atleast understand the basic playing field.
civilized society is an unnatural and strange thing in the vast cosmos. that ppl would voluntarily suppress their id for the common good is a miracle. maybe you dont like metaphysical belief schemes to keep ppl in line, but they are the ONLY proven method. there is no ancient civilization that has risen out of cavemen except it has been a religious society. in the modern age several societies have taken atheist detours. the result will always be the same, because atheism erased the basic dogma that defines good and evil. there is no 'murder' in atheism, only killing. morally shaded actions are distinctly metaphysical. can you measure how moral something is with the scientific method? thats what atheism is all about.
Why are you here? This is about faith, which you apparently have none. Did you come here just to be disrespectful? I know you all hate Pascals Wager, but maybe you should rethink it, forever. You shouldn't bad mouth the Creator, what if there is one?
It's a belief blog, not a faith or christian blog. Anyone can post here and if you don't like it, oh well...it's not your business who comments.
You can only invoke Pascal's Wager because of a flaw in your axioms: That only YOUR god-idea exists. The second you accept the fact that others feel about YOUR god-idea the way you feel about Allah/Zeus/Poseidon/etc, then the efficacy of Pascal's Wager goes out the window, because there are SO MANY god-ideas to try to believe, and many of them contradict one another....short of George Orwell's "1984" concept of 'DoubleThink'.
Pascal's wager has been debunked yet it's still one of he "believers" favorite go-to arguments.
Each religion is a regional and often times ethnic expression of the same thing. Can it be verified? Yes. I can verify it for you. Now that we are all melting together in this world, the similarities become obvious, all you have to do is want to figure it out. Although Hinduism has many 'gods' there is still Atman which is the little, and the Divine Ground which they refer to as the unified whole, one God. Whether we realize it or not, every generation has had a prophet, and when they ascend into heaven and return, they bring back clues, strong desires for change, and unshakable faith. Christians call this, trans-configuration. Muslims have it too, they have their clues. So why so many faiths? God didn't paint with just one color, He paints in permutations and combinations. Everyone got it right, So why are we fighting? We are fighting because God told everyone they were going to inherit the world to come. And it's true, we are all going to inherit it. I used to be an Atheist, then I was agnostic, then I took a leap of faith, and then I was shown the truth. There is a God, fear not, we're all safe and sound no matter what happens.
Oh dear, you really have bought the carnival ticket to Nonsense Alley. Of course, you might be trolling.
Trolling? This word is over used. I am passionate about this you can follow me on twitter @GaysWithFaith.
No Thanks.
Dan W.....What was your leap of faith and what was the truth shown to you??? Just curious....
I was walking into the backyard one day to get some fresh air, and I got this tug, "come and see". When I closed my eyes and looked up to allow for the sun to warm my face, I slipped right out of my body. I traveled to the singularity, beyond it to the darkness, past that to the world that is inverted like a negative, and then... I made it. I made it to the other side of life, many of the symbols and mechanisms in religions are taken for granted because we dismiss symbols because of how pervasive they are and how much they overlap. But there is a source rich in symbolism. I felt healed, and I made the decision to come home because my prayers had been answered.
Thank you for sharing your personal experience with US. I agree with you God gives His messages with symbols.
"""I felt healed, and I made the decision to come home because my prayers had been answered."""
Sorry, Dan. I call BS on the agnostic/atheism. Why were you praying if you didn't believe in the first place?
Keep in mind that I had many medical tests done, talked to many people in the medical profession and the resounding answer that I got, was that this was normal. I talked to Rabbis who seemed to know what I was talking about, the Christians said I was a demon, and the Muslim people that I've spoken to embraced it. I'm not bat s- crazy. Read my twitter @GaysWithFaith from the beginning. Its quite the read.
You may not be bat shit crazy but you are a liar-no medical test would have proven that you left your body or experienced god considering many have made your claim and no-one has been shown to be correct or the world would be well aware of it. No god has ever been proven to exist; no heaven; no hell...none of it.
Dan,
"Keep in mind that I had many medical tests done, talked to many people in the medical profession and the resounding answer that I got, was that this was normal. "
Could you list the areas of practice of these medical professionals and explain what you mean by "normal" (is it "common", "psychologically healthy"...)?
The person who wrote the article knows, or knows but doesnt know it yet. The artwork at the top is .... interesting to say the least. There are clues everywhere, you look at them every day.
And if you are really really a theologian, then we were cast out after the incident with the apple. That means that we don't go home until we die a natural death. War is part of nature, when soldiers kill each other they send their enemies right to God's side. It's a really hard way to think because we've bee trained to think of death as really really bad. But when you 'wake up', you realize oh snap, death is an exit, but you can't use it. This world isn't supposed to be easy, it's not supposed to be pleasant, it's supposed to teach us hard lessons so when we go home to heaven, we won't even look at the apple/pomegranate. What is the cross? It's a representation of the Tree of Life. Father, son, holy spirit, which is really Crown, knowledge / understanding, and the messenger. What is the Star of David? It's Metatron's Cube surrounded by triangles. What is the crescent moon? Why do the Sufi spin? What's really going on here? It should be obvious, someone knows the secret, and they are trying to keep it a secret because we are stuck in this world until we earn 'parole'. Everything is being recorded, every slight of hand will eventually be revealed.
Certifiably insane, and mixing lots of buzz words to gain attention. Have a good time looking in the magic mirror of your "blog". I hope it keeps you from doing anything crazy.
Dan, wow!! I remember you guys from the 60's-70's, glad to see your still kicking, hope the BS gets you laid?? Cheers
Man has worshiped thousands of gods and goddesses.
Yes, like all the rest, your http://www.GODisIMAGINARY.com
there is a website that exposes Islam
answering – islam dot org
google it. you will know the truth.
All this controversy seems pretty obviously to point to the lack of a god... I mean if there was one wouldn't it make some statement about it's existence that would prevent all this religious group A on religious group B violence?
I sincerely with I hadn't been brought up brainwashed into believing it and feel sorry for those that perpetuate it..
No, they don't, because 'god' doesn't exist except in the deluded minds of the religious.
From the point of view of an atheist, I think it's obvious that all religions have the same god in one important respect: the god they worship is imaginary. In all other respects, the details for everyone are different, and those differences matter to varying degrees. To some, their idea of god gives them a desire for peace and agreement... others, it supports their desire for conflict and control. Regardless of the details, for all people who believe, their ideas of their god's nature is nothing but a reflection of their inner reality. Which is why I say that I judge a nan by the god(s) he keeps.
If there is a God then the beliefs of atheists are imaginary.
>If there is a god then the beliefs of atheists are imaginary.
...said the hypocrite who believes in magic, as he rode off on a magical flying donkey named Yahweh.
Could you please name a few of those beliefs? Thanks.
The whole premise of "we all worship the same God" is really just about hand-picking several of today's dominant religions. It completely ignores religions in which there are spiritual elements entirely different from the "man in the sky" version of God, or the "reborn son" version of God, etc. In fact, all of this "theologian" debate seems to conveniently ignore the fact that these 3 major religions are relative "babies" in the history of religious belief in the world since dawn of mankind. Granted, religious worshippers get to claim "Faith" trumps science or historical facts, but theologians must be a tad more unbiased, no?
Thank you.
The unification of religions is the last gasp of a dying concept....
"A dying concept," hum. Obviously lou, you put your faith in humanity, in the visible world. You are existential and a secular humanist believing only in what can be seen, the created world. To believe in God means you have to believe in the Creator of it all. When you create something out of nothing as opposed to inventing something out of what God has already created, then you'll begin to understand the question of who is God? As for the "Same God" question raised in this article, the Christian faith is founded upon the revelation of God in the Old Testament (Torah, Writings, and Prophets) and fulfilled in the revelation of God's eternal Son, Jesus. The difference between Jews and Christians today is whether Jews accept the fulfillment of their scriptures in Jesus, their Messiah. Jews who reject Jesus as God revealed through His eternal Son and their Messiah, obviously don't believe in the same God as Christians. As for Muslims whose prophet is dead and buried in Mecca since 632 AD, the Quran rejects Jesus as God's revelation of Himself, fully God and fully man,
as revealed through the Christian scriptures. So obviously, Muslims also believe in a different revelation of God. The issue of religion is one of faith. God created mankind with free will to know God or reject God. When man rejects God's love and revelation of Himself through Jesus, then you are left with a world of people who hate, kill, lie, steal, cheat, and deceive in the name of "God" and yet whose hearts are far from the God they profess to know. People of faith live by the character of God which includes love, peace, joy, hope, patience, kindness, goodness, righteousness, truth, and life. Look for people who reflect the character of God and you will discover which faith worships the true God of the universe.
Ludicrous.
Stupid.
there is a website that exposes Islam
answering – islam dot org
google it. you will know the truth.